Smoothing Normal Vectors on Discrete Surfaces While Preserving Slope Discontinuities

Abstract

A new method is proposed which smoothes normal vectors over a discrete surface, preserving slope discontinuities and small details. Assume an estimate of the normal vector at each surface point is known and these estimates are computed from small neighbourhoods such that slope discontinuities and small details are still reflected by these normals. To smooth these normals, the normal vectors at points in a certain neighbourhood are averaged. The size of the neighbourhood considered for the smoothing at a point is adapted according the local surface configuration. The adaptation is performed, depending on the tangent plane at the point considered as well as the angles between the normals at neighbouring points and the normal at the point in question.